Category: Uncategorized

Mark 12:19
Their statement is accurate. This was indeed in the law. In this way a family line could be perpetuated. However, what ensues after this is a perfect illustration of the fact that the law cannot save. It only instructs.

Heavenly Father, thank you for instructions, but thank you also for life. Without life in Christ we would be stuck trying to be righteous on the basis of the law alone and you know how that would go. Your plan is perfect. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:18
   The Sadducees didn’t believe in a resurrection, meaning that the afterlife was something they felt one could not be certain about. This is actually not as strange as we might think. The fact is that they read the Old Testament with a human eye alone. They didn’t see enough there about resurrection to accept the doctrine. This is why we must rely on the Spirit, which the Sadducees also denied.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit! We have such hope for sanctification because of him. Your goodness to us is so wonderful! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:17
   What he is saying here is that since the money bears the image of the emperor, it belongs to him. But that is all he may lay claim to. Since human beings bear the image of God, we belong to him. So his ownership is greater. The physical government may expect a tax, but God may expect utter devotion in every regard. We may be debtors to government, but we are the possession of Almighty God. Thus, the paying taxes to the government is not incompatible with worshipping God. His worship is not destroyed by it since he may expect much much more.

Heavenly Father, you cannot be worshipped simply by monetary giving. We must be aware that our days belong to you too. All of our tomorrows are yours to hold. Thank you for giving us life and letting us be your servants. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:16
   The money, of course, had markings on it from the Roman government. Just as in every country today, the economic system was intertwined in the governmental system. There is no separating the two, and money is directly issued by the government. It is a service provided by each nation to its people. Business could be conducted without it, by going back to a barter system. It is offered as a convenience, allowing for the setting of exact prices.

Heavenly Father, you are so wise! Often we live our lives without even thinking about how the world around us works. We miss many things that are important to understand. You are so good to us to have given us the Bible, and you use it to remind us of the truth. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:15
  They use a follow-up question much like Jesus had done on occasion. In their case, however, it was just in keeping with a Jewish way of asking questions, and does not seem to add to the thought. The essence was, do we pay tax or not?
  Though on the surface this seemed like a real quandary, to us now it seems very easy to solve. Ah, but this is only because we know the teachings of Christ. Even today there are those who fail to understand his teaching about taxes, as clear as it is. It is hard for people to accept that we must support ungodly governments. Yet, they are the ministers of God.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your tremendous love for us. You understand our difficulties with grasping certain concepts. You can always help us if we will but turn to you for truth. Ungodliness may disgust us, but we must remember that only you can make that disgusting stuff into something beautiful. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:14
   This is one of the most dastardly set-ups in history. Yet, it was easy for Jesus to deal with. And, why? Because he didn’t give in to temptation. He didn’t let the wiles of the devil get him caught. He knew these men would try to catch him, and he was always ready.
   The attempt to set Christ up was well thought out, but ineffective. They were right to say that Jesus was no respecter of persons. Jesus would not think more of the Roman authorities, nor would he think more of any other man. This lack of fear seemed to be a gullibility on his part. But, nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus was not gullible, but lacked fear because he had a proper view of reality. He saw that God is over all, even Caesar.

Heavenly Father, I cannot tell you enough how wonderful you are. Your praise is a constant practice for my heart. Ever will I attempt to know you and honor you as I should. Time itself cannot tell how I will understand you in that glorious day in the future. We will then see you as you are. I’m looking forward to it! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:13
Though we are uncertain of the identity of the Herodians, it seems likely that they were a Jewish sect much like the Pharisees or Sadducees. Normally, these groups would probably not get along well. But Jesus was a mutual enemy. It was probably hoped that the Herodians would be able to catch him when others had failed.

Heavenly Father, your protection is wonderful. Even when it seems like everything is against us, you are working for our good. We must not forget that you are in control, and that evil has a time limit. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:12
   Fear is the name of the game. Without a consideration of God, and the things of God, fear is all there is for those who want power in this world. Power must be attained and kept somehow. A whole host of semi-legal politicking and out of sight shenanigans take place all the time in this world system.
   Jesus was not afraid of these men, and that is part of what made him so scary. They couldn’t find his weak spot. They couldn’t control him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for protecting us from this world. There are so many people out there that would like to see Christians go away. But, our rule is love, so thank you for helping us to communicate that. You teach us the better way, the way without fear. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:11
   Jesus is still quoting here. This ends his parable because this is the punchline, so to speak. It is his way to drive home his identity to these religious but ignorant men.
   The idea of it being ‘marvelous’ has a dual meaning. It describes the wonder that we feel as we ponder God’s amazing plan. But, it also describes the obnoxious incredulity of the Jewish elite.

Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us your wondrous plan. The history of this world shows your great wisdom in all things. You do all things well, and you have planned it all out perfectly. Thank you for the faithfulness we see everywhere in your ways. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 12:10
   Jesus is quoting Psalm 118:22 here. Of course the Jewish religious aristocracy had read this verse. But their understanding of it would have been far from what Jesus is now intimating. Time and again these men heard Jesus using the Scriptures against them accurately. And time and time again this caused their great consternation. They really didn’t like not having the corner market on the Scriptures.
   This was a uniqueness of Christ. There had been others claiming to be the Messiah. But, others did not have the mastery of the Word that Jesus displayed from the beginning. His consistency, perception, practicality, discipline, and freshness were too much for them. It didn’t just make him a Bible teacher, it made him The Bible Teacher.

Heavenly Father, I praise you today for your teaching. Your Word is not an inconsistent smattering of sagacious sayings, or a chaining together of unrelated stories and histories. It is a cohesive treatise that calls one to action on the basis of its precepts. Thank you for making it available. I learn to love it more all of the time. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.